Three predictions for 2014

1/2/14 8:41 AM EST

The New Year is upon us, and no New Year’s celebration would be complete without a few reckless predictions for the year ahead.

What earth-shattering events will rock the political media industry in 2014? There’s absolutely no way of knowing. But given that I'm in a festive mood, I’ll give it a go — and run the risk of having to eat my words in 12 months time.

1. Jay Carney will step down as White House press secretary.

Earth-shattering as it sounds, this is actually the easiest prediction I’ll make. It’s pretty much a numbers game: If Jay Carney makes it to the end of 2014, he will become the longest-serving White House press secretary since Marlin Fitzwater, who served for six consecutive years under presidents Reagan and Bush 41.

Few are as deft as Carney at deflecting incoming fire from the White House press corps — “I appreciate your question” — but even champions break. With the relationship between the media and the Obama administration going from bad to worse, the daily press briefings are devolving into relentless grilling. It’s only a matter of months before Carney will be ready to throw in the towel.

Our prediction: Carney announces his exit sometime this year, has a bittersweet parting with the press corps and takes some much-needed time off before heading into the consulting business. Oh, you thought he might return to journalism? Head back to Time magazine, where he formerly served as White House bureau chief? Not a chance. That bond has been broken.

2. CNN will move Jake Tapper to primetime.

If you think Jake Tapper, the former ABC News White House correspondent turned CNN host, plans to see out his days hosting a 4 p.m. cable news show, you need to put the pipe down. Tapper is gunning for a primetime slot, and CNN President Jeff Zucker is poised to put him there.

Tapper’s first year has been a remarkable success: He’s become the face of the network’s political coverage, earned praise from both the right and the left — no small feat for a member of the mainstream media — and, most importantly, proven his chops in primetime, guest-hosting for Erin Burnett while she was on maternity leave.

One year into his reinvention of CNN, Zucker is still looking for miracles in primetime. He’s even discussed bringing non-news programming to weeknights. But CNN will always need a strong newsperson to anchor the show’s primetime schedule. That’s not Burnett; it’s not Anderson Cooper; and it’s certainly not Piers Morgan, whose future at the network is most uncertain.

Our prediction: Zucker will announce Tapper’s move to primetime in 2014 and, in so doing, will solidify Tapper’s role as the new face of CNN.

3. Chuck Todd will be named host of NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Ok, I’m drunk. I’ve popped a little too much Champagne. This isn’t actually going to happen: David Gregory renewed his contract as host of “Meet the Press” just this year, which he described as “a great vote of confidence from NBC.”

But here’s the thing: It should happen. "Meet the Press" has languished since Gregory took over for the late Tim Russert in 2008. He has landed a few agenda-setting interviews — Vice President Joe Biden forcing President Barack Obama’s hand on gay marriage was a big one — but the show isn’t what it used to be.

Of course, Sunday shows aren’t as important as they used to be, generally speaking. But for political junkies they remain a sacred fixture of the weekend, as important as church is to Christians and football is to sports fans. Which is why you need a devout political junkie sitting in the anchor’s chair. In the game of politics, Gregory is sitting up in the booth; Todd is in the front row at the 50-yard-line wearing face paint.

Our (ridiculous) prediction: NBC News will place Todd in the "MTP" anchor’s chair, infusing the show with the smart, obsessive attention to politics it deserves. While not necessarily restoring the show’s Russert-era luster, it will once again become the must-watch Sunday show for the politicos and publishing types of Washington and New York City. It will also be smarter than the competition and, in the run-up to 2016, land more than a few landmark interviews.